Are you looking for a natural sleep supplement to help you get a good night's sleep once and for all? Exploring the benefits of GABA supplements and natural sleep aids is a smart place to begin on your path to satisfying rest.
Certain supplements, like gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) can help you take charge of your sleep patterns and get back to feeling like your best self, both physically and mentally.
Let’s explore what GABA is, its relationship to your body’s many functions, and the impact it can have on your ability to achieve more restful, satisfying sleep.
Key Takeaways
- GABA is found naturally in the body and has been shown to aid in better sleep and relaxation.
- GABA can be found in various foods, but can also be consumed orally as a supplement (such as in our Mindful Evening Cocoa Mix).
- In addition to better sleep, evidence suggests GABA can promote a more balanced mood, increased pain relief, and lower blood pressure.
See Related: 6 Natural Sleep Aids for Better Sleep in 2025
How Does Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Improve Sleep?
It may come as no surprise that poor-quality sleep can have a number of negative consequences on the body and mind. From seemingly minor effects like daytime tiredness to more serious effects, like a compromised immune system, poor sleep quality is an issue that shouldn’t be ignored.
Many people suffering from insomnia symptoms, sleep apnea, or other sleep-related conditions may have stumbled across GABA in their search for a solution. While GABA may be lesser known than its counterparts, like melatonin, that doesn’t mean it is any less capable of helping you achieve a better rest.
In fact, in addition to promoting better sleep, GABA can be a powerful tool for elevating mood and overall health.
What Does GABA Have to Do With Rest?
From gut health to the endocrine system, chronic insomnia and sleep deprivation have a profound impact on nearly all of the body’s systems. GABA is one of the various supplements available to help alleviate some of these negative effects.
So, how exactly does GABA help us achieve better rest?
Does GABA Make You Sleepy?
GABA helps the body relax and fall asleep, and also allows us to sleep soundly. This is because GABA is the brain’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter, which means it has the power to calm or “pump the brakes” on the brain’s activity for a period of time.
It achieves this by binding to GABA receptors on the brain’s neurons, reducing their ability to fire. This process can tame nerve cell hyperactivity by blocking specific signals in the nervous system, leading to a greater overall balance and promoting calm. When it comes to bedtime, GABA’s sedative effect helps the brain prepare for a transition to restful sleep.
This “off switch” to the brain can be extremely powerful when it comes to sleep and stress. In fact, GABA’s beneficial effects on the body go way beyond just sleep. By reducing stress and anxiety, GABA, by default, can promote more calming and relaxing sleep.
How Should I Use GABA for Sleep?
It can be difficult to determine the extent to which GABA supplementation can impact your unique sleep patterns. However, science has shed some light on the optimal amount of supplemental GABA to consume to experience its full benefits.
One study suggests that GABA is absorbed by the body within a 30-minute timeframe. According to the study, consuming 100 mg of GABA for a week was shown to significantly reduce sleep latency while increasing non-rapid eye movement sleep time.
Can GABA Found in Foods Help Promote Sleep?
Some studies suggest that GABA found in fermented foods may have the ability to decrease the time it takes to fall asleep while simultaneously increasing overall sleep time.
Another study highlighted GABA’s impact after stressful activity, in which researchers found that GABA had the ability to slow down brain waves, pointing to an alleviation of mental stress. GABA has also been shown to treat high blood pressure.
Although GABA is naturally occurring within our bodies, consuming GABA-rich food supplements can also lead to health benefits. Surprisingly, many foods you may already be consuming as part of a regular healthy diet may contain GABA, from fermented milk to whole grains.
Some foods and beverages that contain GABA include:
- Green tea
- Black tea
- Oolong tea
- Kefir
- Yogurt
- Fava beans
- Lentils
- Seafood
- Nuts
- Berries
- Spinach
According to some studies, taking GABA supplements can be beneficial in treating conditions like high blood pressure, poor sleep, anxiety, and stress. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why the interest in GABA supplements continues to grow among the health community.
Do Low Levels of GABA Impact Sleep?
You may be wondering how much GABA your body produces naturally, and whether that amount is enough to support healthy sleep function.
After all, low levels of GABA in the body have been shown to negatively impact sleep, but various other body functions can be impacted, too. In fact, there are several health consequences associated with low GABA, many of which can impact both the body and the mind. Chronic stress, depression, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and even muscle pains and headaches can all be related to low levels of GABA.
This is reason enough to become more familiar with GABA and how to achieve optimal levels in the body, both naturally and by consumption.
Bonus: 5 Health Benefits of Drinking Hot Chocolate
How Can GABA Reduce the Negative Effects of Poor Sleep?
The truth is that insufficient sleep can wreak havoc on your mental and physical state, leading to all kinds of negative health effects. Yet, this is still a common issue seen in adults today.
While the number of hours needed for optimal sleep can vary from person to person, it’s generally suggested that adults get between 7-9 hours. Adults who don’t get the minimum amount of recommended sleep are more likely to suffer from various health problems such as asthma, heart attack, and depression.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, nearly one-third of adults report not getting enough sleep every day. Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining overall strong health. So, what happens when a lack of sleep begins to affect your physical and mental state?
GABA can indeed help to alleviate the negative effects lack of sleep can have on the body’s functions, including the central nervous system. This is important as the central nervous system is key in regulating functions like mental abilities and emotions, both of which can have a drastic effect on a person’s psychological well-being.
Did you know that the body’s immune system also takes a beating when confronted with inadequate sleep? Lack of sleep can severely impact the body’s immune response, potentially reducing the effectiveness of its defense system or its ability to fight off illness. This is why confronting sleep issues head-on and exploring solutions makes good sense when striving for overall strong health.
How Does GABA Affect the Gut?
There is conflicting evidence on whether oral gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) supplements are effective in the long term. Some of today’s dietary supplements combine other compounds, such as magnesium or L-theanine, with GABA, enhancing its absorption and leading to greater effectiveness.
One example is our Mindful Evening Cocoa Mix, which contains a premium blend of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), melatonin, and L-theanine for a great night's sleep. It's best taken before bed as a part of your nighttime routine.
There is also evidence to suggest that GABA’s effects on the gut can lead to other physical and mental health benefits, as the gut contains many GABA receptors. By altering gut function, the nerves leading from the gut to the brain are altered, therefore altering the brain. Some probiotics containing GABA, called psychobiotics, may also have effects on the brain, helping to lower anxiety, better mood stability, and enhance stress response.
How Does GABA Interact With Other Medicines?
GABA works naturally within our bodies, but it’s important to note that many medications can interact with GABA receptors in the brain. These medications can work in conjunction with GABA to create effects like lowered blood pressure, reduced anxiety and stress, and improved sleep efficiency.
The Bottom Line
GABA differs from many other dietary supplements and sleep aids in that it can already be found in our bodies naturally. By working to help brain cells communicate with one another, GABA plays an important role in our mental and physical health. Effects can include feelings of calm and relaxation, increased pain relief, a balanced mood, and, in many cases, more satisfying sleep.
GABA is a key ingredient in many of our mindful hot cocoa mixes, since it is able to promote relaxation, encourage deep sleep, and ease mental and physical stress. Our natural cocoa mixes are made with no sugar and non-GMO ingredients - they're truly the best way to treat your mind, body, and soul, while still putting your health and wellness first.
Keep Reading: 5 Best Sugar Substitutes for Better Health
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Mindful Nutrition is a veteran-owned company with a passion for health and mental wellness. We use natural ingredients to support both body and mind, including melatonin, GABA, ashwagandha, and L-Theanine. Our hot cocoa blends are vegan, non-GMO, and plant-based, designed to promote relaxation, calmness, and better sleep. We utilize third-party testing on all products to ensure purity, quality, and safety. To stay connected and learn more, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
